The city recognizes that alcohol and substance abuse have become a significant and serious problem in the metropolitan area. As an ever-growing problem in our community and our society, alcohol and substance abuse contributes greatly to the cost in terms of law enforcement, health care, treatment, lost work productivity, death due to automobile crashes, and immeasurable losses and suffering to families who are victims of co-dependency and/or death and injury. Because of the complex nature of the problem and the need to maintain an ongoing effort to coordinate the development and implementation and programs to reduce alcohol and substance abuse prevention and intervention must remain a priority for the city. It is the intent of §§ 9-1-1-1 et seq. to serve the public health and welfare by creating an entity to maintain city leadership in addressing alcohol and substance abuse programs in Albuquerque by coordinating the efforts of existing agencies and program, by facilitating communication between the many private and public agencies involved in alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention, treatment, and law enforcement, and by promoting continued public awareness of the problem.
('74 Code, § 6-1-1) (Ord. 68-1987)